Álex Castro
| cityofbirth = Guayaquil | countryofbirth = Ecuador | dateofdeath = | cityofdeath = | countryofdeath = | height = | position = Forward | currentclub = Independence | clubnumber = 9 | youthyears = 1996-2002 | youthclubs = Emelec | years = 2002-2005 2005-2007 2007-2011 2010-2011 2011- | clubs = Emelec UNAM Racing Santander → Espanyol (loan) Independence | caps(goals) = | nationalyears = | nationalteam = | nationalcaps(goals) = | manageryears = | managerclubs = }} :This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is ''Castro and the second or maternal family name is Arroyo. Alejandro Félix "Álex" Castro Arroyo (born August 19, 1984) is an Ecuadorean footballer who plays professionally in St. Gregory for League A club Independence. Castro is the defending League A Golden Boot winner after scoring 25 goals in the 2016-17 League A season, a year which also resulted in the first-ever League A championship for Independence. Castro was born in Guayaquil and played youth football for local club Emelec. Club career Independence F.C. Castro scored the tying goal in extra time of the 2013 SGFA Cup Final against New Castle, sending the match to a penalty shootout. He went on to score in the shootout as Independence won 4-2 and lift the Cup for the first time. He was named to the 2013 SGFA All-Stars team. Castro was sent off for two yellow cards on October 31, 2015, as Independence lost 1-0 at home to Rivergate. The 2016-17 season started strongly for Castro as he scored the club's first goal of the season on October 1, 2016, in a 2-1 away win at Swifton Athletic. He went on to score again the following round, on October 14, as Independence beat Cape Wells Wanderers 2-0 at home. He then followed up with a pair of multi-goal games, scoring a brace each against FC Chapman on October 20 and then at Manorham three days later. Castro bagged his first hat-trick of 2016-17 on December 26, scoring three in a 6-2 away win over Bonneville Juniors to draw level with Chapman's Kane O'Bray for the overall goalscoring lead in League A. Castro reclaimed the goalscoring lead on March 3 with his second hat-trick of the season in a 3-1 win over Helena Point Rangers, taking him to 19 goals from 21 games. On March 11, he scored a penalty against Banks City that helped Independence to a 4-3 win, in doing so becoming the first Independence player to score 20 goals in a League A season. He would save his best moment for last, however, as on May 20, with Independence needing a win to clinch the League A title, Castro scored in the 89th minute to lift his side to a 3-2 victory over visiting Bonneville United. That result helped overcome Chapman's 1-0 win at Banks City, and Independence lifted the first League A trophy in club history. Castro's 25 goals in 2016-17 were enough to give him his first League A Golden Boot. Category:Player pages Category:Independence F.C. players Category:SGFA All-Stars players Category:People from Ecuador